Robinhood
robinhood.com
Commission-free US brokerage app for stocks, ETFs, options, futures and crypto, with the Legend desktop platform and an optional $5-a-month Gold plan.
What it is
Robinhood is a US broker built around its mobile app, with a web version and Robinhood Legend, a desktop-style charting and trading platform that costs nothing extra. Stocks, ETFs and their options trade without commission, and fractional shares start at $1. Through affiliated companies it also offers futures, crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and others, traded around the clock), prediction markets, retirement accounts, custodial accounts and a managed portfolio service.
Commission-free does not mean fee-free. Every options contract carries about $0.04 in regulatory and exchange pass-through fees, index options have a contract fee ($0.50 standard, $0.35 with Gold), futures have a per-contract fee, sells pay the usual FINRA and SEC charges, and moving an account out to another broker by ACATS has a fee. Instant withdrawals to a debit card cost up to 1.75%.
Robinhood Gold is an optional $5 monthly subscription with a 30-day free trial. It raises the interest on uninvested brokerage cash (3.6% APY at this review), gives a 3% match on IRA contributions if you keep Gold for a year and the assets in the IRA for five years, allows larger instant deposits and lowers the index options and futures contract fees.
Key features
- Commission-free stocks, ETFs and options
- $0 commissions on US-listed and OTC stocks, ETFs and their options, with regulatory fees passed through.
- Robinhood Legend
- A desktop trading platform for more active traders, with no extra cost to use.
- Futures and crypto
- Futures through Robinhood Derivatives and crypto through Robinhood Crypto, with crypto trading 24/7.
- Fractional shares and 24/5 trading
- Buy from $1 in fractional shares; Robinhood advertises commission-free stock trading 24 hours a day, five days a week.
- Retirement accounts and IRA match
- Retirement accounts, with a 3% match on IRA contributions for Gold members (up to $225 on the 2026 contribution limit).
- Robinhood Gold
- Higher cash interest, lower index options and futures fees, bigger instant deposits and the IRA match boost for $5 a month.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | $0 | Commission-free stocks, ETFs and options; index options $0.50 per contract plus exchange fees |
| Robinhood Gold | $5/mo | 3.6% APY on eligible cash, 3% IRA match, index options $0.35 and futures $0.50 per contract, larger instant deposits; first 30 days free |
Options also carry about $0.04 per contract in regulatory and exchange fees. Outgoing ACATS transfers, paper statements and instant debit-card withdrawals (up to 1.75%, $1 minimum, $150 maximum) have fees. Margin interest is charged on borrowed balances. The cash APY and IRA match terms change over time.
Free option: A standard account costs nothing to open or hold, with no inactivity fee and commission-free stock, ETF and options trades. Gold has a 30-day free trial.
Checked September 25, 2026 on robinhood.com. Prices change; confirm on the provider's site before you subscribe.
Strengths
- Simple app with fractional shares from $1
- Stocks, options, futures and crypto in one place
- Free Legend desktop platform for more active traders
- No account opening or inactivity fees
Limitations
- Index options and futures carry per-contract fees, and options carry pass-through regulatory fees
- Transferring your account out to another broker incurs a fee
- The full 3% IRA match requires one year of Gold and five years of holding the assets
- Futures, crypto and prediction markets are offered through separate Robinhood companies with their own terms
Good fit for
- Beginners who want a simple phone-first account
- Casual options traders placing single-leg and simple spread trades
- Investors who want stocks and crypto in the same app
Look elsewhere if
- Traders who need professional research, bond trading or international markets
- Very active options traders who compare total per-contract costs across brokers
Compare
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Robinhood questions
Is Robinhood really free?
Stock, ETF and options trades have no commission, but regulatory fees, an index options contract fee, futures contract fees and some account fees such as outgoing transfers still apply.
How much is Robinhood Gold?
$5 a month with the first 30 days free. It adds higher interest on uninvested cash, a larger IRA match, lower index options and futures fees and bigger instant deposits.
Does Robinhood have a desktop platform?
Yes. Robinhood Legend is a desktop trading platform, available at no extra cost.
Can you trade futures on Robinhood?
Yes, through Robinhood Derivatives, with a per-contract fee that is lower for Gold members.
Written from Robinhood's own website and documentation. All Trading Tools lists and compares tools; it does not recommend trades or give financial advice. Sources: robinhood.com/us/en, robinhood.com/us/en/gold, robinhood.com/us/en/support/articles/trading-fees-on-robinhood, robinhood.com/us/en/support/articles/are-there-fees-for-transfers, cdn.robinhood.com/assets/robinhood/legal/RHF+Fee+Schedule.pdf.